Author Archives: Trade Man

When you look at the Eastern forward line-up for this year’s Youngstar game, with the exception of Niklas Backstrom, I’m wondering if the term “star” is appropriate to define such a group of grinders. Young and promising grinders I would pick any day on my team, but still grinders…

Sorry to non-Habs fans for another Habs article, it’s just I haven’t written about them in nearly 6 months. So yeah, sorry.

Now, over the last 4 or 5 days, I’ve been asking myself just where does Montreal stand going into the Trade Deadline, which is in 33 days. Should they be big buyers and go after the Marian Hossa’s and Mats Sundin’s? Or should they continue to do what they’ve they’ve the last several seasons and aquire minor pieces like the Todd Simpson’s and Jim Dowd’s? Or should they stay the course with the current roster and the only changes should be the promotions of players like Kyle Chipchura and Carey Price near the Play-Offs?

With the trade deadline looming soon, the Canadiens are on track to have their best season since Serve Savard was general manager. During the Rejean Houle era the Canadiens posted the following record:

Damien Cox examines the trade value of every member of the 2007-08 Toronto Maple Leafs. http://www3.thestar.com/static/PDF/080124_leafs_possibilities.pdfIt is very interesting. Sundin and Kaberle would have the best value. McCabe, Kubina and Blake would be difficult to deal, and Mark Bell is impossible to trade at his price.

According to Damian Cox of the Toronto Star, as reported by Spectors Trade rumours: JFJ had been shopping veterans McCabe, Tucker, and Sundin to see what kind of market there was for them, before his being fired Tuesday. 3 Teams showed interest in Bryan McCabe.

According to Yahoo Sports Canada, the NHL and the television station Versus, have extended their contract for 3 more years through the 2010-11 season.

Terms of the deal have yet to be released but it is believed it’ll be worth more than the last 3 years of the previous contract, which paid the NHL $65 million in 2005-06, $70 million in 2006-07 and $72.5 million this season, an option year in the original contract.

According to a few sources, Dan Boyle is very close to returning. Interestingly, the Hawks are rumored to be searching for a PP specialist, and Boyle and Campbell have been mentioned as likely candidates given that both are UFAs next season.http://www.thefourthperiod.com/news/chi080123.html

The Blackhawks are supposedly dangling the likes of winger Tuomo Ruutu and young defenseman Cam Barker as trade bait. Not a bad return indeed!

Since the leafs have been down falling for the past 3 years, they haven’t made the playoffs once, and doesn’t look like it this year unless a miracle happens, and someone shows up and turns this team right around!

The first good news was that the leafs fired GM ferguson, and signed Fletcher as interim GM until richard peddie finds a new GM.

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Blues are expected to trade a defenseman before the trade deadline. Right now, Backman seems the likely target. He has another year left on his contract worth $3.4 million, with a Cap Hit of $2.3 million.